Absolutely. We've been witness to strides they are making in treating TBI, for example.

i wish they would make more advances in ptsd. all the va seems to want to do is give you additional meds.

And they're not even very good at that. :right:

you are so right! i had to pay over $400 out of pocket because they can't mail them on schedule

Of course he's right--he's a Doctor!

You know what they call the guy who graduated last in his class in medical school?




"Doctor."


FYI, its a bad idea to tell that joke in a doctor's office. Just sayin'.

I tell every undecided kind-hearted compassionate kid I see that the jobs future is gonna be in PTSD counselling. I told this wonderful LPN to get the hell out of the nursing home, get her mental health tech degree (2 years) and go counsel vets. That's the job that's going to be needed. PTSD, substance abuse and general counseling for vets.

It's also a bad idea to tell a doctor that you are an RN. I NEVER tell them that but when I go to the doc/hosp. with my mom (which is happening more and more often) my dad always tells the doc and I cringe b/c I don't want the doc getting all hostile and defensive. I don't know why he does it - he's never been proud of anything I've ever done anyway. It's a weird sort of reverse torture.

needed, yes, but funded?

They're going to have to out of complete embarrassment; not compassion and caring. So many suicides, substance abusers, wife-beaters/murders, they'll have to do something. THEY put those people there for ten years...they're going to have to do it.

PTSD is a major issue for us. In fact we had a suicide standown that required all soldiers in my Brigade to attend briefings and take assessments. It is so sad that my unit has been home for 2 years and our suicides are increasing. It seems to be the multiple deployments in a non-linear war coupled with soldiers returning home to no jobs and so many divorces. BTW, do you realize the average soldier has more combat time than most WW II vets? Of course I'm not taking anything away from those vets because I truly believe they saved the world from horrible oppression.

I guess I ramble.......

No you don't, Sarge
You make good, but sad, points.

Sent by thought transference.

I've been thinking about this in comparison to my Uncle's Vietnam experience. He and his buddies returned to a country where blowing off steam seemed a little more possible. Street / track racing, drinking, and fighting in rural / suburban America provided necessary if inappropriate outlets that are far more scrutinized today in our hyper-security state. They got next to no services from the VA, which I hope doesn't happen again, but we always have more money for starting wars than cleaning up after them. I hope our next President keeps that in mind, hopefully Romney's bellicosity is for style more than substance as described here.

Our veteran"s benefits office is like a different separate part of our office. I was pleased to hear the ideas of a candidate for a new vp (we were invited to hear him talk about his experience and ideas) to extend it into a veteran's services office that has all kinds of resources for veterans. From something as simple as a place for them to hang out, use the computers, talk to each other...to counseling services and advocacy. I would really like to see that need met.